Digital data storage devices are used to store and retrieve large amounts of user data in a fast and efficient manner. A typical data storage device uses a head stack assembly to support an array of vertically aligned data transducers adjacent recording surfaces in a disc stack.
The disc stack is rotated at a relatively high rotational velocity by a spindle motor. An actuator motor (such as a voice coil motor, VCM) pivots the head stack assembly to align the transducers with data tracks defined on the recording surfaces to write data to the tracks and retrieve previously written data from the tracks. The transducers are typically hydrodynamically supported adjacent the recording surfaces by fluidic currents established by rotation of the disc stack.
During manufacturing, it is desirable to protect the head stack assembly during handling and installation (merging) of the transducers with the recording surfaces to prevent damage to the head stack assembly and the disc stack. In devices that employ non-contact recording, it is further generally desirable to prevent contact between the transducers and the recording surfaces during the merging operation.
While various head stack assembly protection and merging methodologies have been proposed in the art, there nevertheless remains a continued need for improvements that provide enhanced protection to the head stack assembly and the disc stack, accommodate smaller dimensional sizes and clearances within the data storage device and facilitate efficient merging of the transducers. It is to these and other improvements that the claimed invention is generally directed.